Air-brake apparatus.



No. 791.324. PATENTED MAY 30, 1905.

f A. B. GURRIER.

AIR BRAKE APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 9. 1904.

No. 791,324. PATENTED MAMO, 1905.

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AIR BRAKE APPARATUS. APPLIoATIoN F'ILBD JULY s. 1904:.A

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UNITED STATES Patented May 3o, 1905. l

PATENTY Carica.

AIR-BRAKE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,324, dated May 30,1905.

Application filed July 9, 1904. Serial No. 215,919.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS BENJAMINE CURRIER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Battlecreek, in the county of Calhoun and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Air-Brake Apparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates more particularly to the coupling mechanismemployed in connecting the train-pipe sections between the cars.

In many couplings the arrangement is such that when the train breaks intwo the trainpipe on both sections is opened, and consequently thebrakes of both sections are applied. In making up freight-trains thecars equipped with air-brakes are always placed first, so that the brakeapparatus may be connected to and operated from the locomotive. Now inlong freight-trains it often happens that a break occurs in rear of orclose to the rear end of the air-brake-equipped cars. Consequently thebrakes on the front section are automatically applied, the said sectionis stopped, and the brakes are not under control of the engineer untilthe last coupling has been closed and the reservoirs pumped up to therequired pressure. This occupies considerable time. In the meantime therear section of the train cannot be stopped, as there are no air-brakessupplied or the number of cars equipped therewith is so small that theycannot overcome the momentum of said section. The result is often acollision between the uncontrolled 'rear section and the stopped, butalso uncontrolled, front section.

It is the object of the present invention to obviate this very seriousobjection by providing a novel construction wherein the coupling is suchthat when a break in the train takes place the train-pipe in the rearsection is opened to apply the brakes, while the rear end of thetrain-pipe on the front section is closed, and the brakes areconsequently'left under control of the engineer, who can apply them, ifhe so desires, but mayleave them released in order to escape from thefollowing rear section.

In the accompanying drawings two embodiments of the invention areillustrated. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is notlimited to these two embodiments, but that various changes may be madein the construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from thespirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of the memberscoupled, indicating their positions and arrangement and showing thepreferred embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a view of a portion ofone of the members with the sections thereof in'alinement. Fig. 3 is aplan view. Fig. 4isalongitudinal sectional view with the sections inalinement.' Fig. 5 is a similar view with the sections disposed inangular relation and locked. Fig. Gis a longitudinal sectional view atright angles to that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of amodiication. Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 9 is a longitudinalsectional view through the modilied form of construction. Fig. 10 is atransverse sectional view. l Fig. 11 is a sectional view through onesection of the member.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all theligures of the drawings.

Referring first to the preferred form of construction, illustrated inthe iirst siX ligures, coupling members 12 are employed, one of saidmembers being located on each end of each car, as indicated in Fig. 1.As these members are duplicates, but one need be described. The memberconsists of pipe-sections 13 and 14, the section 13 having at one end atransversely-disposed hub 15', the ends of which project on oppositesides of the section. A passage-way 16 extends through the section13 andhas an opening 17, offset slightly and passing through the annular faceof the hub. The other section, 14, has an enlarged head 18, providedwith a transversely-disposed socket 19, that receives the hub. Apassage-way 20, formed longitudinally in the section 14, opens into thesocket, as shownia't 21, and is arranged to aline with the opening 17when the sections are in angular relation, the passage-ways, however,being closed from each other when the sections are alined as shown inFig. 4. The sections are pivotally secured together by means of splitjournal- ICO ring elements 22, carried by the section 14 and surroundingthe projecting ends of the hub 15, one of these rings being detachablefor the purpose of dismembering the coupling. The ends of the splitrings are connected by tension-screws 23, which permit the contractionof said rings for the purpose of securing tight joints and preventingleakage. The sections of the members can be positively locked in angularrelation or in alinement, and for this purpose holding-dogs 24 and 25are employed, separately pivoted upon the section 13, the holding-dog 24being arranged to abut against a shoulder 26, formed upon the section14, when said sections are in angular relation. The dog is held inoperative position by means of a spring 27, bearing against its angularpivoted end. The other dog, 25, is pivoted between its ends and is borneagainst by a spring 28. This dog 25 coacts with teeth 29, formed uponone of the journal-rings 22, and is adapted to engage one of said teethwhen the sections are alined. While the sections may be ordinarily heldin angular relation, even when the dog 24 is inoperative, by thefriction in the joint, if desired, a convolute spring, as 30, may beemployed for this same purpose, said spring being secured to one end ofthe hub 15 and the adjacentjournal-ring 22. This spring will yieldinglyhold the sections in angular relation when lnot locked in alinement. Oneof the sections, as 14, is connected with the train-pipe on the car,while the other section, 13, carries the rubber tubing 30, having at itsfree end the usual coupling element 31. When two of the cars arecoupled, the train-pipe sections are connected in the usual manner bythe coupling elements v31, and the sections 13 and 14 of each member`are disposed in angular relation or, in other words, in the positionshown in Fig. 5. Thus the air will have a free passage through thecoupling. The sections of the member on the front end of the rear carare locked in open position by means of the dog 24; but the sections atthe rear end of the front car, while located in angular position, areleft unlocked, the dog 24 being' thrown out of operative position, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, being locked in this position bythe spring 27. These various parts will maintain the positions describeduntil the car breaks apart. In this contingency the rubber hose 30 Willbe pulled taut, and thereupon the sections of the member at the rear endof the front car will be thrown into alinement, though the sections ofthe member on the front end of the rear car will maintain their angularrelation, being locked, as already described. As soon as the hose andthe coupling elements 31 break apart the air can escape through the rearmember, while the front member will be closed. The brakes are thusapplied to the rear section of the train, while those on the frontsection will still be under the control of the engineer. Thus theobjection noted in the preliminary portion of the speciiicatio'n isovercome by very simple and convenient means. There is no danger of therearmost member of the front section of the train becoming opened, forthe dog 25 will lock the sections in alinement as soon as they reachthis position. Moreover, said sections can be alincd on the last car ofany train, and no closure for excluding dust or dirt is necessary.

A somewhat different form of structuie is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 11.The member 12 consists of sections 13 and 14, having overlappingportions 15 and 16 connected by a pivot-bolt 17. Acoiled spring 18,surrounding the bolt, serves to yieldingly hold the parts 15 and 16together in order to prevent leakage. Passage-ways 19, formed in thesections, have extensions 20 located inthe overlapping portions andprovided with openings 21, that are alincd when the sections are inangular relation and are closed from each other when said sections arein alinement. In this structure one of the sections carries a pivoteddog 22, that engages teeth 23, formed upon the other section, when thesections are in alinement. The dog is urged to such engagement by aspring 24, Said other section is provided with a pivoted dog 25, adaptedto engage behind a shoulder 26 of the iirstmentioned section when saidsections are in angular relation. The dog 25 is held to its work by aspring 27 It will of course be understood that this form of member ismerely substituted for that shown in Fig. l of the drawings, and theoperation and advantages are exactly the same, so that a descriptionthereof would be practically a repetition of that for the embodimentjust described. Such description is therefore thought to be unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpivotally-conneeted sections having passage-ways that communicate whenlocated in one position and are closed when the sections are in adifferent position, and means for positively locking the members againstpivotal movement in the position wherein the passage-ways are incommunication.

2. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling` member comprisingpivotally-connected sections having passage-ways that communicate whenthe sections are in angular relation and are closed when said sectionsare alincd, and means for positively locking the members against pivotalmovement in said angular relation.

3. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpivotally-connected pipesections having passage-ways that communicatewhen the sections are located in one po- IOS IIS

sition and are closed when the sections are located in a differentposition, means for positively locking the members against movement inthe position wherein the passage-ways are in communication, and meansfor positively' locking the members against movement in the positionwherein the passage-Ways are closed.

4. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpivotally-connected pipesections having passage-Ways that communicatewhen located in one position and are closed when the sections arelocated in a dilerent position,` and separate devices for respectivelyholding the members against movement in said different positions.

5. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpivotally-connected pipesections having passage-ways that communicatewhen located in one position and are closed when the sections arelocated in a diiferent position, and pivoted dogs for respectivelyholding the members against movement when in said different positions.

6. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpiVotally-connected pipesections having passage-ways that communicatewhen the sections are in angular relation -and are closed when saidsections are alined,

and separate pivoted dogs carried by one section and engaging the otherfor respectively holding said sections in their angular and alinedpositions.

7 In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpivotally-connected sections having passage-ways'that communicate whenthe sections are located in one position and are closed when thesections are located in a different position, oneof the sections havingshoulders contiguous to its pivotal connection, and dogs mounted on theother section and engaging the shoulders for holding the sections intheir dierent positions.

8. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpipe-sections, one of said sections having a hub provided with anopening therethrough, the other section having a passage-way movableinto and out of alinement with the opening through the hub, said othersection being furthermore provided with journal-ring elementssurrounding the hub, and means for contracting the ring elements.

9. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpipe-sections, one of said sections being provided at one end with atransversely-disposed hub portion provided in its annular Wall with anopening, the other section having a socket that receives the hub and isprovided with a passage-way movable into and out of alinement With theopening, split journal-ring elements carried by said other element andsurrounding the ends of the hub, and means for contracting said ring.

10. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprisingpipe-sections, one of said sections having at one end atransversely-disposed hub provided With an opening, the other sectionhaving a socket that receives the hub, journal-rings carried by saidother section and surrounding the ends of the hub, one of said ringelements having a plurality of teeth, a dog pivoted upon thefirst-mentioned section and arranged to engage the teeth for holding thesections With the passage-way and opening out of alinement, and anotherdog carried by said first-mentioned section and engaging the othersection for holding said sections with the passage-way in alinement;

1l. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprising sections,a pivotal connection between the sections, and a convolute 'springlocated at the pivotal connection and connected to the sections directlyadjacent to said pivotal connection.

12. In air-brake apparatus, a pipe-coupling member comprising sections,one of whichv has a hub portion, the other having a ring portionjournaled on the hub portion, and a spring for yieldingly maintainingthe sections in a predetermined position, said spring having its endsconnected respectively with the hub and ring portions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS BEN JAMINE CURRIER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD J. RoAcH, E. EAvEs.

